Rocket launcher



FIG. 6.

Jan. 4, 1949. j c. c. LAURITSEN ETAL 2,453,476 I ROCKET LAUNCHER I Filed Jan. 4, l946 3 Sheets-Shget 3 HELEN c. M Mo/i'R/s,

Adm/hisfra //'/X fbr JOHN MCM0RR/6, Deceased and 0mm 5 a mum ra /y ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1949 .nocxn'r LAUNCHER fiharies Laur'itsen, Pasadena, Calif., and John .McMorris, deceased, late of Pasadena, =Calif., .by Helen (J. .McMorris administratrix, ilasadena, -Calif., assignors to the United :States of America .as represented by the Secretary of .the

Navy

Applicationdanuary 4, 1946, Serial No. 639;084

.4 Claims.

This invention relates to launchers for rocket devices, and .more particularly to a novel reloadable launcher for use iro-m the interior-oi an airplane or other vehicle.

One object of the invention is to provide a launcher for rocket devices which is closed except for its discharge end and is adapted for mounting within an airplane .or other vehicle with only its discharge .or muzzle end protruding, thus per- .mitting loading, servicing and firing from within the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a launchers-for rocket devices which, although closed ,exceptfor its discharge end,is so constructed that no appreciable reaction force is exerted in a manner which would burst the projector or stress the mountings, whereby the projector is correspondingly light in weight and requires a minimum amount of support. This feature also facilitates use of the device on airplanes where appreciable reaction forces on firing would be-undesirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a launcher which is particularly adapted for the retro-launching of rocket propel-led floatligh'ts of the type disclosed in a patent application of Charles C. 'Lauri-tsen and John 'McMorris, Serial No. 481,652, filed April 2, 1 943. The launcher-is not limited in use to such devices or to the "retro- -operation, however, and may be used with any rocket propelled devices for forward or retrooperation.

These and other objects of "the invention will be apparent from the following specification ,and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a twin launcher for rocket devices, incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the breech end of the launcher with the loading door open;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the launcher;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the launcher;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the launchers shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 6, '7, 8, and 9 are cross section views taken on lines 6-6, 1l, 8-8, and 9-9, respectively, of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying illustrations, the launcher is shown as comprising two units ll adapted to be mounted on an airplane or other vehicle by brackets I la. The two units are identical, except that they have right and left symmetry about an intermediate longitudinal axis, and the units are interconnected by cross members lib. Each launcher unit comprises a cylindrical tube [2 of spaced guide lugs l8.

uniform diameter ,openat one end and 'closedat the other by .a dome shaped end member .I 3.

Adjacent the closed end of each tube 1:2 is an opening M occupying almost half the periphery of the .tube and extending a substantial proportionof its length. The opening I4 is adapted to receive a rocket device .A, .shownby dotted lines in Figs. 2, 4, 6, 7 and :8. The rocket device here illustrated comprises :a floatlight or other zprojectile B, a rocket .motor 0 having lead wires D for firing the rocket, and a separable connecting means E between the rocket motor and the floatlight. The rocket device is more fully illustrated in the copending application Serial No. 481,652 referred to hereinbefore.

The opening i4 is closed by a .door I5 which is curved into conformity with the side wall of tube it. The .door t5 overlaps the margins xOf the opening I l and is attached along one side by a hinge Hi. g

The door is secured in its closed position by a latching arrangement which includes a longitudinally slidable bar 1 ,7 extending the length of the .door along its free marg in and guided by several Several latch pins iii are secured .to the bar .and extend jangularly outwardly vfrom and then parallel with the bar, the pins ibe'ing pointed at their free extremities. Each guide lug 1.8 is adapted toreceive the free end portion of one of the latch pins IS in an opening parallelto the hole which receives the bar l1. Mounted .on .the tube I2 are lugs .20 which have holes in their extremities adapted to register with and receive .the -free.end portions .of the latch pins 19 when thedoor l5 isclosed.

A handle 2i is pivotally connected to the door l5 by means of a journal bolt 22 and mounting bracket 23. The handle is likewise pivotally connected to the extremity of an arm 24 secured to the slide bar ll. The arm is flexible enough to permit the pivotal movement of the handle 2| about the journal bolt 22 necessary to move bar i1 longitudinally and thereby effect the latching and unlatching movement of the latching pins IS. The location of the points of connection between the handle 2i, journal bolt 22 and arm 24, and the spring action of the arm, are such that the handle is in an over-center position when the latching pins are in their fully released or fully locked positions.

Within each tube l2 are four longitudinally extending rails 25 spaced equally from the center or axis of the tube by inwardly extending support posts 26 mounted on the side Wall of the tube. Two of the rails terminate at the forward end of opening I4" while the other two continue about half the length of the opening as shown in Fig. 4. A U-shaped spring clip member 21 is secured to the tube near the extremities of the longer rails. The clip member is adapted to receive the rocket device when inserted through the opening l4 and placed on the rails, and serves to hold the rocket device in proper position until fired. A small notch 28 is provided in the margin of the opening 14 to accommodate the lead wires from the rocke motor when the door I5 is closed.

The diameter of the tube I2 is materially greater than the diameter of the rocket device, thereby providing a large area between the tube and the rocket device to permit the escape of gases forwardly around the rocket device, and to minimize end thrust on the tube 12 and its mounting.

In practice, the units II in any desired number are mounted in an'airplane or other vehicle was to project outwardly through the outer walls of the vehicle. When used with a rocket propelled fioatlight, the tubes preferably extend rearwardly for retro-operation and the proportional sizes of floatlight and rocket motor are such that the fioatlight is given a rearward thrust which approximates as closely as possible the forward flight velocity of the airplane so that the rocket device falls substantially vertically from its point of release. Thus a spot over which the airplane passed, at the instant the -may be used for other than retro-operation. It

is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited or restricted to the details set forth above, since these may be modified Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It is claimed:

1. A rocket launcher comprising a tube closed at one end and open at the opposite end, the tube having an opening in its side wall for inserting a rocket into the tube, launching guide rails within said tube for receiving a rocket from 4 said side opening, and a movable cover on the tube for covering said side opening.

2. A rocket launcher comprising a tube open at one end and closed at the other end, launching guide rails in said tube and extending longitudinally of the tube for supporting a rocket, and supports for spacing said rails radially inwardly from the side walls of said tube whereby a rocket blast escape passage is provided around the rocket to said open end.

3. A rocket launcher comprising a tube closed at its breech end and open at its muzzle end and having a side opening near its breech end, a door for covering said opening, means for latching said door in place over said opening, rocket guiding'means in said tube, and means for spacing said guiding means radially inwardly from the side walls of the tube to define a rocket blast escape passage between the rocket and the tube.

4. A rocket launcher comprising a tube open at one end and closed at the other end, the tube having near said closed enda side opening for inserting a rocket, guide rails mounted in the tube for receiving a rocket from said side opening and providing at least a three point support for the rocket, a spring clip in the tube for clamping the side wall of a rocket therein to hold the rocket against longitudinal displacement in the tube, and a movable cover on the tube for closing said side opening.

CHARLES C. LAURITSEN. HELEN C. McMORRIS, Administratrix of the Estate of John McMorris,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland Mar. 17, 1941 

